Lorenza Beati Ziegler

Lorenza Beati Ziegler is a Professor in the Biology Department at Georgia Southern University since 2004, where she also serves as Curator of the U.S. National Tick Collection and is affiliated with the James H. Oliver, Jr., Institute for Coastal Plain Science. With a background in both medicine and parasitology, she brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to her research on ticks and tick-borne diseases.

Her research focuses on tick systematics with emphasis on morphological and molecular taxonomy, evolution, phylogeography, and population genetics. She also investigates tick ecology and the micro-organisms carried by arthropod vectors, particularly Rickettsia species. Her work spans multiple continents, examining tick biodiversity and evolutionary relationships across diverse ecosystems.

With over 100 publications and an h-index of 45, Professor Beati Ziegler has made significant contributions to the field, including describing new tick species, clarifying taxonomic relationships, and advancing our understanding of tick-borne pathogens. Her recent work shows continued productivity with multiple 2023-2024 publications focusing on new species descriptions, vector surveillance methods, and the ecology of tick-borne diseases.

As Curator of the U.S. National Tick Collection, she oversees the world's largest repository of tick specimens, which serves as a critical resource for global tick research. Her work contributes to Sustainable Development Goals related to health and biodiversity.

Professor Beati Ziegler teaches undergraduate and graduate courses and is currently accepting PhD students. Her extensive international collaborations reflect her standing as a leading researcher in tick systematics and vector-borne disease ecology.